The first European Athletics Outdoor Classic meeting of the weekend was in Gothenburg on Friday night with the Folksam Grand Prix and it proved an historic event for Sweden’s Johan Rogestedt and European 800m bronze medallist Lovisa Lindh.
Rogestedt, 23, who was European Junior 800m bronze medallist in Tallinn in 2011, finished second in the 1000m in 2:17.67 and broke a national record that had stood for almost 57 years.
It was back on August 21 1959, in Karlstad, that Dan Waern, the 1958 European 1500m silver medallist, ran 2:17.8 and now Rogestedt has overtaken that men’s time after finishing second behind Egypt’s Mohamed Hamada in a world-leading 2:17.66.
The women’s national record was nearly 22 years old - Maria Akraka had run 2:38.70 on August 24 1994 - but now that mark belongs to Lindh, who followed up her superb display in Amsterdam where she had run a 800m personal best (2:00.37).
On Friday she led a Swedish one-two as she won the 1000m in 2:36.04, a world lead, to beat Anna Silvander (2:37.78) with Sanne Verstegen, of the Netherlands, in third (2:38.05).
The men’s 100m was an all-British outcome as Adam Gemili (10.21) beat Ojie Edoburun (10.29) and Chijindu Ujah (10.30).
Gemili, on the second leg, and Ujah, on the anchor, had been in the British team which won gold at last week's European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam.
Fellow Briton Rabah Yousif (45.58) won the men’s 400m, Sweden’s Khaddi Sagnia was first in the women’s long jump (6.70m) and German Sara Gambetta took the women’s shot put (17.16m).
Almost a week after being part of the last gold medal in Amsterdam, Jonathan Borlee gave his home fans much to cheer about again on Saturday.
At the KBC Night of Athletics in Heusden-Zolder, Belgian Borlee won the 400m in 45.34m, the best time he has run outdoors this year and he was quick to thank the crowd for helping him home at this European Athletics Outdoor Classic meeting.
'This is what I needed,' said Borlee, speaking to sport.be. “In the last 100m I was heavy but the first 300m were perfect. I have to thank the public for their support.'
Borlee had a mixed time in Amsterdam.
He failed to make the individual final of the 400m, being knocked out in the heats (47.45), but then last Sunday he ran the second leg of the 4x400m relay as his nation took gold.
Teammate Anna Zagre was fifth in the 100m hurdles final in Amsterdam (12.97) but in Heusden she won in 12.96, while France’s Simon Krauss won the 110m hurdles (13.62).
There was a good win for Poland’s Renata Plis in the 5000m in 15:23.19, beating Great Britain’s Jessica Andrews (15:24.02) and Germany’s Hanna Klein (15:27.09) and Bulgaria’s Mirela Demireva was best in the high jump with 1.91m.
Like Borlee, Britain’s Greg Rutherford also left the Netherlands with gold as he retained his European long jump title and he maintained his form, also on Saturday, with victory at the Meeting of Andujar in Spain.
Rutherford, who will now be looking to make it a golden long jump double in Rio next month, won with 8.15m at this European Athletics Outdoor Classic meeting.
Belarusian Pavel Selivertsau took the high jump with 2.30m as he beat Jamal Wilson, of the Bahamas (2.28m), and after reaching the final in Amsterdam (where he finished 11th), Italy’s Marco Lingua won the hammer with 73.23m while Ukraine’s Hanna Titimets took the 400m hurdles in 56.23.